Over the offseason, thousands of fans voted in our "Team For the Ages" contest to construct the best imaginable 50-man roster from the NFL’s modern era, which began in 1967. The votes have been counted, and we’re unveiling one player each weekday between now and the kickoff of the 2018 NFL season.
The entire Team For the Ages roster will be unveiled at "Football Legends LIVE!" Sept. 8 in Crystal Lake, Ill. Tickets are on sale now: https://shawmediaevents.com/e/pfw50
Special teams ace Steve Tasker
Legacy one-liner
Tasker wasn't big (5-9 and 180 pounds) but he was one of the tougher pound for pound players in the NFL over his 13-year career that included seven trips to the Pro Bowl, five first-team All-Pro nominations, 186 career special-teams tackles. He's considered by many to be the greatest special teams player in NFL history and should eventually have his bust in Canton, where precious few players from the third phase are recognized.
They said it
“He was the first guy I ever saw anybody actually use three guys to try and block him as a gunner on a punt. He forced people to do things that no one had ever done before on special teams.
I coached for Bill Parcells in Dallas for four years. I remember him talking about whenever we played Buffalo, telling his team, “The first thing we’ve got to do is we’ve got to make sure that we contain Steve Tasker because if we don’t get him blocked, then we’re gonna get beat.”
— Longtime special teams coordinator Bruce DeHaven
Key stat
Tasker's Bills ranked first in the NFL in defending kickoffs in four consecutive seasons between 1987-90. They ranked in the top 10 in punt return yardage allowed four times between 1987-93.
In additon to his prowess on special teams, Tasker tallied nine career receiving touchdowns and 21-372-3 receiving in his final full season, in 1996.
Did you know?
Tasker, a ninth-round draft choice of the Houston Oilers in 1985, did it all on special teams, returning and covering kicks and even serving as a holder and personal punt protector throughout his Bills tenure.
Signature game
Following the 1992 season, in the span of one week, Tasker blocked a punt in the Super Bowl and blocked a field goal in the Pro Bowl, returning it 28 yards for a touchdown en route to being the first (and to date only) special-teams ace to be named MVP of the Pro Bowl.
Previous "Team for the Ages" player announcements
